Details: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, First Time, Weddings, Wedding Party, Parties, Best Man, Modern AU, Formal Wear, Suits, Pining!Merlin, Pining!Arthur, Falling In Love, Mutual Pining, Romance, Fluff, Happy Ending, Feelings, Lots Of Feelings, Mutual Attraction, Boys With Feelings, Modern Setting, Dates, Arthur Needs A Date.
Summary: Arthur needs a date for Gwen's wedding. The rest is history.
1. Kiss Me Once by Camelots_Daffodil (@camelots-daffodil)
Someone spreads a rumour claiming that a kiss from Emrys is worth immeasurable good luck to any sorcerer so lucky to share one. Unfortunately for Merlin, no one bothered to tell him about it.
Arthur, and the court of Camelot, will have to improvise in order to save Merlin from the kingdom's ill-fated romantic pursuits.
Written for Merlin Bing 2023 - Improvisation
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hgkhfh you gotta love this take
2. the desire beneath by insane_falcon (@insane-ohwhyfandoms)
Merlin and Arthur have been best friends through high school and university, where they eventually add benefits to their friendship. Which is where everything goes wrong—a small taste of something more that leaves them both literally starting to die for more.
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i am screaming!!! the mutual pining!! the mutual jealousy!!!
3. Rumor Has It by vintagelilacs (@vintagelilacs)
A visiting dignitary impugns Merlin’s character. Arthur does not handle it well.
“He implied you were bedding me.” Arthur raked a frustrated hand through his hair. “It’s an attack on my honour as well. As if I would bed someone who was unwilling!”
Merlin was only half-listening to the tirade, and was therefore only distantly aware of himself responding, “Who says I’d be unwilling?”
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
MerthurWeek2021's DAY 1 prompt fill!
"I can't think straight with you!"
Summary:
A modern royalty au where Arthur decides the best way to hide his feelings for Merlin is by avoiding him. It turned out worse than he expected when Merlin gives him a taste of his own medicine.
Arthur pines for Merlin, but won’t do anything about it because of his duty, which is driving Merlin up the wall, and then suddenly, Uther is ordering them to get caught in a compromising position for the good of the kingdom, and everything goes to hell in a hand-basket.
Rating: Teen+ (very mild language)
Words: 1110
Arthur Morgan x Female Reader, Fluff, Pining Arthur
When it comes to fashion, Arthur is about as clueless as a rock. Luckily, Javier is there to give Arthur some tips on how to do his hair and how to dress. But the whole thing totally isn't about Arthur having a budding crush on the newest gang member. Javier doesn't know what he's talking about.
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The sun high in the sky signaled to everyone that it was lunchtime, and Pearson’s stew was fresh and hot. Arthur ladled out a generous helping of stew into his bowl, making sure to give himself a few extra chunks of venison. He had hunted the deer that was in the stew, after all. He deserved a little bit more.
He took a quick look around the camp, searching for a place to sit and eat. Some of the girls were playing Dominos, so that table was taken, and Uncle and Swanson were passed out drunk on the other. A few of the others had gone into town to get supplies, so they were to be found. Why when he wanted to be alone, everyone wanted his attention, but when he wanted to sit a chat, everyone was gone? Then, near one of the other fires, Arthur spotted Javier fiddling with his guitar. Perfect.
“Hey, Javier,” Arthur greeted as he approached and sat down on the log near the small fire.
“Hello, Arthur,” Javier greeted back, looking up for just an instant before turning his attention back to the guitar in his lap.
“Whatcha up to?”
“I am tuning… my guitar.” Javier put his ear near the hole in the body of the guitar before plucking one of the strings and gingerly adjusting the tuning peg.
“It’s out of tune?”
“Yes. I think the change in temperature from being in the snow to coming here messed up the strings a little bit.”
“How’d you tell?”
“I could tell when I was playing last night. The cords sounded off.”
“Wow!” Arthur shoved a big bite of meat into his mouth. “How do you know when it’s back right?”
“I just do.” Javier switched to the next string, plucking it and turning its peg. “I’ve been playing since I could fit a guitar in my hand.”
Arthur shook his head and smiled. “You really are somethin'.”
Arthur finished off his stew, Javier strumming and plucking random cords as he tuned.
“Javier?”
“Si?”
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure.”
Arthur set his empty stew bowl down on the ground. “It’s… a kinda dumb question.”
“A lot of questions are.”
Arthur removed his hat and played with the brim of it in his hands. “I just… I’ve been thinkin’ ‘bout stuff.”
Javier scowled to himself. “Alright?”
“And…” Arthur sighed. “Do you think I should get a hair cut?”
Javier let the last (slightly out of tune) note to the cord he plucked fade out before he looked up at Arthur. “What?”
“Do you think I should get a hair cut?”
“Are you being serious?”
“Of course I’m bein’ serious, you idiot!”
“Well, I don’t know!” Javier looked at Arthur’s hair. It covered his ears, and it was a little dirty, but that was how it always looked. “It is your hair. Why are you asking me?”
“Who else am I supposed to ask? Half the men at this camp don’t even have enough hair to have any sort of style, and the other haven’t touched their hair since Blackwater!”
“What about John?” Javier suggested.
“He hasn’t bathed since the day he was born, let alone thought about his hair.”
“Charles?”
“He’ll tell me to have it long.”
“Dutch?”
“He’ll see it as an opportunity to get me lookin’ all fancy like, or he’ll ask me if I’m considerin’ goin’ back to city life.”
“Hosea?”
“He’ll just tell me to do what I think is best, and I don't know what's best.”
“So why me? What makes me, Javier Escuella, the man you wanted to ask about a damn hair cut?”
“Well…” Arthur ran a hand through his hair. “You’re… you’re the only one at this camp who has any lick of sensible style.”
Javier was a little taken aback. Arthur Morgan? Giving him a compliment on something other than his shooting skills? Absolutely unheard of.
“So you are saying that you like my hair and the way I dress? Are you trying to look like me?”
“What!?” Arthur leaned back in shock. “No! I just came here to ask for your opinion!”
“Well, what kind of look do you want?”
“I don’t know… somethin’ a little more modern.”
Javier chuckled and went back to his guitar. “Go ask one of the girls then. I do not know anything about 'modern.'”
“C’mon, Javier! I can’t ask them!”
“Why not?”
“I just can’t!”
“Well, I’m sure Mary-Beth or that new girl, (y/n), knows something about fashion, at least more than I do.”
“Please just help me, Javier! Short? Long? Parted? Give me something!”
Javier thought for a moment. “Why can’t you ask her? It’s not like you care about how she thinks you look.”
“That’s not- It’s not-” Arthur leaned in and grabbed Javier by his shirt collar. “Just tell me how to fucking cut my hair.”
“No! You either ask her, or tell me why you will not ask her, and if you do not give me a straight answer, I will call her over here and tell her the whole thing.”
Arthur released Javier and sat back down on his spot, defeated. “It’s just… whenever we’re in town, the men that talk to her and the ones she talks are well dressed and have short, clean hair.”
“So?” Javier poked.
“Well, I thought that hair might… look nice on me.”
Javier stared at Arthur with a sly grin. “And you want to be like those men?”
“Not like them, just…”
“Look, Arthur, you good at a lot of things, but lying is not one of those things.” Javier put a hand on Arthur’s shoulder. “If you want to impress her or something with your hair, just go to the barber and ask for something trendy. I am sure he can come up with something nice.”
Arthur stayed standing as Javier stood up from the ground, guitar in hand.
“And Arthur?”
Arthur looked up to Javier.
“If you really want to get her attention her, put some actual thought into what you wear, even around camp. She’s not a country cowpoke like you; she probably likes someone a little more put together. Oh, and unbutton your shirt a little. Showing a little skin never hurt anyone.”
With that, Javier walked back over to his tent, whistling a cheerful tune. Arthur stood as well, putting his hat back on top of messy hair, and headed to his horse to go get a hair cut and a new jacket, but not before undoing the first two buttons on his shirt.
Details: Age Difference, Romance, Minor Character Death, Meddling Kids, Dating Apps, Falling In Love, Finding Love, Babysitting, Mutual Pining, Pining!Arthur, Pining!Merlin, Babysitter!Merlin, Dad!Arthur, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Modern AU, Modern Setting.
Summary: When widower Arthur Pendragon finds out that his three children have conspired to help him find 'someone to kiss' by placing an ad on an internet dating site, he allows his guilt to push him into agreeing to go on a succession of dates even though he's determined that he's not lonely and doesn't believe in 'love'. However, someone does set his heart racing, but it's not one of the endless parade of beautiful women he has to choose from, it's the children's new babysitter, Merlin.
Details: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Modern AU, Modern Setting, Neighbors, Mutual Pining, Pining!Arthur, Pining!Merlin, So Much Pining, Mutual Attraction, Falling In Love, Borrowing Things They Don’t Need, Living Next Door To Each Other, Neighbors Who Fall In Love.
Summary: In which there is pining, Merlin bakes, Arthur borrows batteries he doesn't actually need, and did I mention the pining?
Details: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Modern AU, Modern Setting, Radios, Podcasts, Radio Programs, Falling In Love, Past Relationships, Exes, Flirting, Pining, Mutual Pining, Pining!Arthur, Pining!Merlin, Radio Host!Merlin, Advise, Relationship Advise, Happy Ending, Angst, Angst With A Happy Ending.
Summary: Arthur doesn't care much about the popular radio program Dragon's Lonely Hearts until his ex-girlfriend calls in to slag him off and get advice. When he calls in and has an on-air argument with the host, it starts off more than he expected, including meddling friends, over-involved fans, and maybe love.
